Slots FAQ
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Simmo's Slot TipsSome of you know me as a moderator of Casinomeister where my affinity to slots is pretty apparent! For those that don't, then aside from checking out Casinomeister's forums take it from me I'm pretty up on the online slots scene. So while slots are games of chance, and you will lose over the long term, I'll share some tips that may help you maximise your potential. Bear in mind online slots will usually have a 93%-96% payout expectation (much better than land casino slots) but it's largely estimation, so don't take that as fact!Some of the tips below are generic, some are game specific, but all will probably help in some way. #1 - Displaying currency values instead of coins on Microgaming slots Many players hate seeing that they won "5000 coins" when they'd rather see they'd won "$500". On Microgaming, every game has an "options" button or a small cog-wheel symbol you can press to toggle the display ("as credits" or "as coins"). Personally I like to see currency credits as coins mislead me into a sense of security and it's easier to bet too much! #2 - The "Dolphin Tale" slot free spins decision When you (finally - it's not easy!) hit the potentially lucrative free spins bonus on Microgaming's "Dolphin Tale" bonus slot, you are faced with a choice of 5,10,15,20 or 25 free spins and are awarded one of three random multipliers. By the law of averages, picking "20" free spins gives you a marginally higher chance of a better return over time. #3 - Avoid waiting for slow win counts on Microgaming On some MG slots, in free spins mode especially, it can take a while for your win to accumulate on the screen due to their excitement-inducing (!) method of displaying it. If this is getting painful, simply click anywhere on the reels in view and it will skip the count. #4 - Speeding up Autoplay on RTG Real Series slots Similarly to the above, autoplay can be slow while wins are calculated and displayed on the screen (by design). Simply click the "Spin" button and autoplay will resume. The same applies to some Playtech bonus slots incidentally. #5 - Playing RTG Real Series "random jackpot" slots Unlike most other progressive jackpot slots, most of the random jackpots on RTG Real Series slots are "local" jackpots. This means that they vary from RTG casino to casino rather than being held in a cumulative central pot. Thus, you may find it beneficial to play your favourite game at a different casino where the jackpot value is higher, thus increasing your expected payback percentage. In most sessions, this will make little difference, but if you are going to hit the jackpot sometime, you may as well make sure it's where it's at it's highest value, eh! #6 - Increasing the variance on slots Some players like certain the look and feel of low variance slots (low volatility/risk) but would prefer to take more risk in return for potentially higher rewards. This is best achieved by reducing the number of paylines played (ie: instead of the default 25 paylines, play 9 or 15) and increasing the line bet. The obvious frustration here is that a win comes in on one of the lines you aren't playing, but over time, it should even out. #7 - Playing 3-reel slots Be careful on some 3 reel slots as the paytable can vary according to the number of coins you play. In these instances, always play the maximum coins available on each spin. #8 - Playing Progressive Jackpot slots Jackpot slots that pay the jackpot non-randomly usually require you to line up 5 symbols on a specific payline. In these instances the payline is invariably the last one, so you should always play all paylines in order to a) have a chance of getting the jackpot and b) consequently maximising the potential payout return. #9 - Hammering out WR on slots If you are playing a bonus and the "wagering requirements" have not been met to pay out, always pick a low variance slot to play wjich is less volatile and will give yopu more chance of succeeeding. You can take a risk on higher variance slots of course, to potentially win more, but you do run the risk of ruin before you meet the WR. The filter boxes at the top of this page will help you to find low variance slots. #10 - Slot strategies Slots are games of chance, so no strategy no matter how it's hyped will help you win. However, I apply certain slot strategies to help me maximise my budget. Additionally, I'd always recommend having a cashout strategy in place to ensure you cash out when you meet certain criteria (ie: a win of a certain size). #11 - What is the Holy Grail of Free Spins Slots? For me it's on RTG's Rain Dance. Hit 5 scatters and get 100 free spins at 5x - and every retrigger of 3 scatters gives another 100! That aside, I like getting 5 scatters on Microgaming's Isis as you get 15,000 coins PLUS 30 free spins at 6x. What's more, I've hit that one too before now :-) size). | |||||||||